1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus having a recording/reproducing function of a voice message by means of a cassette tape, a micro-cassette or a recording integrated circuit (IC).
2. Related Background Art
As a prior art apparatus of this type, a facsimile machine which has a function to record a received voice message in a micro-cassette and reproduce the recorded voice message later (auto-recording telephone function) has been known. In this facsimile machine, when the self-record mode is released, the tape is rewound to the beginning, and when the rewinding is completed, the information is sequentially reproduced starting from the first one.
However, in the prior art apparatus, when the number of such auto-recording is large, it takes a long and wasteful time from the release of the auto-record mode to rewind the tape to the beginning. It is also not possible to visually recognize the content of the record.
Other facsimile machines having the auto-recording function are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,800,439, 4,815,121, and 4,932,048 and in pending U.S. application Ser. No. 446,479 filed on Dec. 5, 1989.